BRENHAM SCHOOL BOARD PROPOSES TAX RATE; PUBLIC HEARING & ADOPTION SET FOR AUG. 12
As Brenham ISD prepares for the possibility of calling a tax rate election this fall for teacher and staff pay raises, the Brenham School Board today (Tuesday) proposed an increase to the property tax rate in the upcoming fiscal year.
The proposed rate consists of $0.7122 for maintenance and operations (M&O) and $0.08 for interest and sinking (I&S), totaling $0.7922 per $100 valuation. While the I&S rate is projected to stay the same come formal adoption of the tax rate at the board’s August 12th meeting, the final M&O rate is expected to fall below the proposed rate, due to state compression requirements.
Chief Financial Officer Darrell St. Clair explained that the highest expected rate that could be approved for M&O is $0.6884, which – combined with the $0.08 rate for I&S – would mean the final rate comes out to $0.7684 in the event that a voter approval tax rate election (VATRE) is called at next month’s meeting. The current proposal is higher in order to provide leeway in case of any changes in state calculations, as the district can only adopt a rate at or below the proposal, not above.
Brenham ISD’s existing tax rate is $0.7469 per $100, with the M&O set at $0.6669 and the I&S at $0.08.
Board President Jared Krenek, speaking on the possibility of calling a bond election to address district infrastructure, stressed that the bond would not impact the tax rate because the district has been responsible with its I&S debt. He said most other districts do not have opportunities like this, with Trustee Kyle Hafner adding that Brenham ISD’s $0.08 rate for I&S is 10 cents below the next-lowest school district of 13 schools in the region.
Krenek said the low tax rate is something to be proud of, but it can also come at a detriment to students in situations like what is currently happening with the major repairs needed at campus facilities. Superintendent Clay Gillentine said districts need “a healthy amount of debt” in order to act strategically and avoid having to cover expenses with M&O funding, which could instead be going toward employees.
Gillentine acknowledged that there is a sense of urgency in calling a bond election for November, saying there are emergency situations at the middle school and junior high school, along with other major items that need to be addressed “sooner than later.” Depending on the outcome of the active special session, he said there is “strong consideration” in Austin that this opportunity might only be possible in November, and that the spring will not be an option.
A public hearing on the proposed tax rate and budget will be held at the board’s next regular meeting on August 12th at 6 p.m. at Brenham High School. The meeting will include recommendations from the strategic planning committee on whether to go for a VATRE and/or a bond election. There will also be an item for a reimbursement resolution which pertains to a bond election if it should pass; since the district could not obtain bond proceeds until next year, and some capital projects that would be outlined in the bond are considered emergencies, the resolution allows the district to use the general fund for those projects and reimburse the general fund once the bond proceeds come in.
Trustees also heard details about the newly certified property values released by the Washington County Appraisal District. Certified values in Brenham ISD for the 2025-26 tax year sit at $5,018,946,828, up 3.92 percent from $4,829,513,301 in the current tax year. St. Clair noted that this year’s values are calculating homestead exemptions at the $140,000 approved by state legislators and set to be voted on this fall, while last year’s values had homestead exemptions at $100,000.
The big question is why aren’t we raising taxes on the large corporations in our county? Walmart? Chick-Fil-A? Home Depot? Germania? Stanpac? These companies can easily afford property tax hikes, while many of our citizens do not. These large companies tout that they bring jobs, but most of the jobs are low paying, causing citizens to seek government assistance. So not only do these big corporations get to skip taxes, they’re also letting the county pick up the tab for struggling families and individuals.
Case in point – we own two properties in the city of Brenham and pay more in taxes than Stanpac.
Go look up these companies’ public tax records and see for yourself how little they give back to the community. It’s utterly disgusting!
Well said KW! I could not agree more. Please don’t leave out Blue Bell. Why do they get “protected’ status?
It is absolutely a frustrating double edged sword. Property tax rebates are, unfortunately, one of the only ways that Brenham and the County can compete with surrounding areas for business. StanPac is a great example- they pay an abysmally unfair amount of taxes, but the alternative is that they leave Brenham, putting hundreds out of work, and find a new city that will give them that tax break. For your retail stores, many quickly pay back their property abatement, and as frustrating as it is that their wages are low, keep in mind that they generate significant amounts of sales tax that does stay here, even if employees do not.
The politicians running the city of Brenham and Brenham isd have already failed and collapsed with regards to the taxpayer’s trust. Their constant lies have turned any possibilities of new school construction being approved. Government must lower property taxes at the same rate they have raised the taxes that are no longer affordable. Government poor judgement does not justify the fraudulent taxes that are ribbon taxpayers blind.
Your frustration is valid, but misdirected. The city and the ISD do not truly set property values, and both have actually maintained significantly lower tax rates than surrounding areas, to the detriment of wages and facilities. When you say that these “constant lies” have ruined the possibility of a new school, please keep in mind that you are effectively holding children hostage- they, and teachers, are the ones paying the true price.
Seneca,
When the city, county and the ISD maintain significantly lower tax rates than surrounding areas, they do so to the detriment of employee wages & benefits & retirement and to the maintenance of the facilities suffer. The affected employees and their families are ALSO HELD HOSTAGE and pay a heavy price in regard to housing, quality of life, diet and health care … all for keeping tax rates low. Not to mention that many working families must also rely on tax payer supported entitlement programs in order to have a less than desirable quality of life. You get what you pay for! One thing most, if not all, politicians do is lie! Some prefer to call it tainting the truth. Why not just tell the truth! We, as taxpaying citizens, are tired of being conned, lied to and prostituted just to please a small minority of misguided folk who never attend public meetings but host their own private ones. These inflated egos make the final decisions before passing them on to the public figureheads so they can con the public. Guess what groups actually “run” this city, county and ISD? WE SEE THEM!
Fiscal responsibility is a must for any private or public entity. We all agree! However, there just comes a time when you HAVE TO SPEND THE MONEY to remedy something that is in need of repair or need to be REPLACED. The past couple of years I have gone to basketball & volleyball games at the Junior High School. I was appalled at the condition of the school. The sinks and paper towel dispensers in the boy’s restrooms were just hanging off of the walls! I saw the pictures of the water damage to the school, as I am sure most everybody did as well. The present Junior High School was the high school I graduated from in 1974! My grandchildren now attend the Junior High School. It is unimaginable to think that this facility is still okay or safe for students to attend. The school is OLD, OUTDATED, MOLDY & SMELLY! The present Junior High School is a poor reflection of the district, city & county. The MAGA GOP raised the National debt ceiling by trillions! If it is good enough for Washington, D.C. it should be good enough for BISD in Washington County!
What a shock….a tax increase….and i’m sorry, but comparing the rate to nearby counties doesn’t make a rate increase justifiable or affordable…better yet, how about make the property tax ACTUALLY FAIR and based on the ACTUAL value of the property. Im sick of seeing wealthy individuals with a $600,000+ home on multiple hundred acres worth well over $1million paying LESS in property tax than a struggling labor worker in an $80,000 home in town that has been assessed at $200+k. And what about those who dont have children or use and public service? Is it fair to them? The system is broken and needs and overhaul and officials continue to reach in the pockets of citizens scraping by…how about reduce the salaries of elected officials, see how many will stay in office then…..the greed and drunkenness on power needs to stop…
I am not sure what elected officials you are speaking of – but school board elected officials are NOT paid. With that said, “greed and drunkenness on power” does not apply in this instance. The board is trying to do what is right for the future of our amazing town. They are putting STUDENTS and TEACHERS/STAFF first.
This is the system you have voted for. Republicans have controlled this state for 30 years, property tax is the only mechanism to fund public goods, roads, water infrastructure, fire, police, EMS and Public Education. Since there’s no income tax in this state, and there never will be this is what we’re stuck with. I’m also so tired of the loudest naysayers being the over 65 crowd who have their property taxes frozen.
We need to do something about the junior high and you cannot MAINTAIN your way out of functional obsolescence. Its 60+ years old with hundreds of kids pounding the halls every day. Foundation issues aren’t a lack of maintenance problem. I really miss the days when people in this community would come together for the common good of the community. But I think those days are gone.
I agree with you 100%. The junior high building is in such a sad state. My biggest fear is that the building will collapse while students and teachers are inside. The only way to grow a community is to put our schools as a top priority. Businesses are not coming here, because the school districts around is are flurishing
Comparing the rate to nearby counties DOES apply. Our school board continues to keep rates low to keep people happy even at the detriment of the school district because we are so spoiled that we complain when there is any rate hike necessary to get a bond to build/upgrade facilities that we desperately need. Also, nobody in a $600,000 home is getting a lesser valuation than a $200k home, not how it works. Ag exemptions only apply to land not homes. Your logic of only using a public service that applies to you is flawed. My house has never burned down or been broken into, nor have a used an ambulance. But fire fighters, cops, and paramedics sure are nice to have when you need them. Those services, just like schools are for the betterment of the community as a whole. As for drunkenness of greed and power, respectfully, there is not one elected official that works for the City, County, or School district that is getting “rich” off public money, as all of them could make more in other places. Nor do they have that much power.
I appreciate your response and am, like you, so tired of hearing the complaining from those that do not have kids or grandkids in the schools. I love how those who come to our town to retire WHINE the most. We have families and kids. Those families and culture are what makes this area somewhere they want to live. We have got to get a grip on our schools, replenish our facilities and pay the teachers! Our future, our legacy, is the kids going to our schools. I want them to have what they need for a healthy and stable learning environment in order to compete with the kids that go to our neighboring districts. Enough is enough! The longer we kick the can, the more dollars it will take to get to par.
I’ve lived here since getting out of the Service in 1972. My wife is 4th generation Washington County. We didn’t just retire here. Our kids went to school here. Our grandkids now. And we’re sick of people that bad mouth us because of our dissatisfaction with government schools that get tons of tax money and yet the education system has failed miserably. And they fail miserably to maintain the facilities. The problem is not the buildings. The problem is a culture where kids are not taught at home to go to school, pay attention, learn all you can, behave, respect the teachers and other students, come home, do homework and chores…then go play in a decent manner. Stop pointing your finger at us because we’re tired of a pathetic, failed system. Oh, by the way, Check out Waller and other systems with fancy buildings and higher teacher pay and see if that’s produced better students. But, of course, I’m just a whiner.
I agree whole heartedly,100%.
While I agree that certain needs should be met, the way Washington county is going about it is reprehensible. So called certified valuations far exceed the actual value of a property because nothing more than an algorithm sets the value. Isn’t it amazing how the value of a property is rising year over year the exact amount needed to increase the tax to the legal maximum each and every year. Not too surprising to see this kind of GREED government.
This is a systemically corrupt system built from the ground up to take unfair advantage of property owners. I’d like to DOGE come in a see where all the money goes and more importantly perform cut out the fat. How much does BISD spend on controversial curriculum? How many non-citizens are in our schools? How many superfluous non-teaching admins and bean-counters are we employing?
Until this is corrected, I will NO VOTE to any tax increase that appears on the ballot.